Parents! Ever find yourself dreading those 5 a.m. road trips to out-of-state competitions? Secretly wishing the season was already over? We hear you! We’re going to teach you how to eliminate some of that stress by planning in advance.
1. Have your cheerleader pack her bag days before your trip. The last thing you want is to be scrambling the night before to find her cheer shoes. Have her start packing early in the week so that you can keep everything in one place and add whatever is missing! This will help you stay on top of things and make that 5 a.m. wake-up call go more smoothly.
2. Before attending any competition, make a checklist. To avoid any last-minute uniform mishaps, be sure to make a brief list of all the things that are essential for a successful competition day, down to the last bobby pin! Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later. Carrying extra socks, hair ties, lashes, and hairspray are all things you’ll need at one point or another. Better to be prepared than sorry!
3. Make sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast and packs plenty of snacks! This may seem obvious, but it’s more important than you think. Fueling them with electrolyte drinks and trail mix can significantly help keep them energized throughout the day. It’s important to remember how long competition days can really be; your child will need extra energy to power through. Plus, this might help you avoid those ridiculously overpriced competition snacks!
4. Have the numbers of your coaches and other cheer parents on speed dial! Always anticipate delays, parking issues, and trouble finding the venue. With a list of contacts to reach out to in case of problems, this will help prevent your cheerleader from being late or stressed!
Overall, if you remember these quick cheer parent hacks, your next competition day experience will go by seamlessly!
-Daniella